Reaching the marginalized: EFA global monitoring report, 2010; 2010

PROGRESS TOWARDS THE EFA GOALSYouth and adult literacytripled, and have increased twice as fast asmale rates. Because adult literacy gaps trackdevelopments in basic education, this catchingup process mirrors a narrowing of the gender gapin basic education. Between the two benchmarkperiods, the number of adult female literatesincreased by 14%, compared with 7% for adultmales (see annex, Statistical Table 2).This positive trend has to be placed in context.Women may be catching up, but in many countriesthey are starting from a long way back. Genderdisparities remain very deep – and the share ofwomen in the total number of illiterates hasincreased slightly. The process of convergence isthus starting from very unequal points (Figure 2.32).In the three regions with the lowest levels of literacyand largest gender disparities – the Arab states,South and West Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa –female adult literacy rates for 2000–2007 were stillbelow the average for male literacy in 1985–1994.On the current trajectory, it will take women inSouth and West Asia about fifty-six years to catch up.Gender convergence in adult literacy is proceedingat different rates in different countries. Compare thecontrasting experiences of Bangladesh and India.Women aged 25 to 34 in Bangladesh have illiteracyrates 32% higher than men in the same age group.The gap reflects gender disparities that prevailed inthe education system when that generation went toschool. For 15- to 24-year-olds in Bangladesh todaythe gender gap has been eliminated. While India hasbeen narrowing the gap, 15- to 24-year-old femalesare still about twice as likely to be illiterate asmales in that group. Among the Arab states,Morocco has been making rapid progress towardsimproved literacy with every school generation buthas been less successful in closing the gender gap,as comparison with China underlines (Figure 2.33).Improvement in access to education acrossgenerations is one of the motors driving increasedliteracy levels. In almost all countries, literacy ratesamong younger adults (15 to 24) are higher thanthe average for all adults (15 and over). In the ArabStates, South and West Asia, and sub-SaharanAfrica, youth literacy rates in 2000–2007 were16% to 24% higher than the average for all adults(see annex, Statistical Table 2). Age-groupdisparities are particularly marked in somecountries, including Botswana, Eritrea, the IslamicRepublic of Iran, Nigeria and Sri Lanka, where theproportion of illiterates among all adults is doubleor more the proportion for younger adults.Figure 2.32: Being so far behind, women have further to travel to reach male literacy ratesAdult (15 and over) literacy rates, by region and gender, 1985–1994 and 2000–2007 1WorldDeveloping countriesDeveloped countriesCountries in transitionSub-Saharan AfricaArab StatesCentral AsiaEast Asia and the PacificSouth and West AsiaLatin America/CaribbeanCentral/Eastern EuropeN. America/W. Europe30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100Adult literacy rates (%)Female 1985-1994 Female 2000-2007Male 1985-1994 Male 2000-20071. Data are for the most recent year available during each period specified.Source: Annex, Statistical Table 2.Illiteracy mirrors wider disadvantagesNational data on literacy can provide insights intothe average picture for a country while obscuringdisparities within countries, where adult illiteracymay intersect with income, parental education,ethnicity, language and disability. While womenare systematically disadvantaged, genderdisparities are magnified by wider structuresof disadvantage and marginalization.Low income. Adults from the pooresthouseholds are far more likely to be illiterate.In Guatemala, 60% of adults living in extremepoverty and 42% of those living in non-extremepoverty are illiterate, compared with 17% of richeradults (Porta Pallais and Laguna, 2007). Similarly,the literacy rate for the richest Bangladeshihouseholds is 76%, compared with 28% forthe poorest (Bangladesh Ministry of Planningand UNESCO Bangladesh, 2008).Ethnicity, language and group-baseddisadvantage. Minority language groups andindigenous people often register far lower levelsof literacy. In Viet Nam, the literacy rate is 94%among the majority Kinh population, but only 72%for ethnic minorities (Daswani, 2005). In Peru,illiteracy is much more prevalent amongOn the currenttrajectory, it willtake women inSouth and WestAsia about fifty-sixyears to catchup with men99